After 50 years in film, Italy's Bellocchio calm in Venice

Hanna Rantala

2 Min Read

VENICE (Reuters) - Italian director Marco Bellocchio, 75, said on Tuesday as his latest film “Sangue del mio sangue” (Blood of My Blood) had its premiere at the Venice Film Festival that after half a century of filmmaking he can take such events in his stride.

“I am actively participating and also affected emotionally but with a certain sense of calm,” Bellocchio told Reuters in an interview.

“Whatever will happen, I don’t think I will get too down,” he said, regarding his film which is one of 21 competing for the festival’s top Golden Lion award to be announced on Saturday.

The film is based on a true story from Bellocchio’s hometown of Bobbio, south of Milan, about a 17th-century noblewoman who becomes a nun and is accused of witchcraft after she seduces a priest and later his twin, who is an army officer.

Bellocchio cast his son Pier Giorgio as his leading man and daughter Elena in a smaller role. His brother Alberto also makes an appearance as a cardinal.

The story time shifts from the 17th century to modern times and back again, but at the same time that it is telling a tale of witchcraft and love, it also touches on events from Bellocchio’s long career in film, Pier Giorgio said.

“We are talking about a person who has been making films for 50 years and his made a great number of films which have dealt with diverse issues. In this film, I think you can find a summary of them all,” Pier Giorgio said.

“It is a script in which I found so many things about his life, about his cinema, past and future,” he added.